Born deaf, Palmerston North girl ready for school with cochlear implant

Maisy, who lives with her family at Ōhakea, was born profoundly deaf but it took a few months to determine her level of deafness.

"She failed the new-born hearing test," said Katie. "It was six weeks before we went back for follow-up at Palmerston North Hospital."

Maisy failed the test in both ears. The next test was while Maisy was sleeping and the result was moderate to severe hearing loss.

At three months, Maisy was fitted with hearing aids but showed little responsiveness.

Tests continued and Maisy was sent for physio.

Katie and her husband Aaron were not convinced Maisy was doing well.

Meantime, Katie, her mother, aunty and mother-in-law went to Palmerston North to learn how to sign.

At 12 months the couple took Maisy back to audiology and the deaf advisor referred them to the van Asch Deaf Education Centre in Christchurch.

Their daughter was 13 months old and just beginning to crawl.

"Deafness can cause balance issues," said Katie.

Katie says she contracted cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy.

The virus attacks the tiny hairs in the ear drum which transfers sound to the brain.

The tiny hairs are no longer in the ear by the ear drum which transfers the sound to the brain.

An MRI scan confirmed Maisy had an auditory nerve so the surgery for a cochlear implant could proceed.

"We were quite stoked to know Maisy was profoundly deaf because it gave us an answer to why she was not responding."

This diagnosis meant the family could move forward.

Maisy was 18 months old when she received the cochlear implant under the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme.

She's been wearing her implants now for three years and Katie says Maisy is progressing well for a child her age.

However, says Katie, once Maisy goes to school she will need to keep progressing with her peers.

That will require a specialist teacher-aide who will have to take Maisy through steps so she will understand the lesson.

There are also other activities at school like fire drills that will need to be explained to her with the help of the teacher-aide.

Katie says they have had good outcomes for Maisy.

The next step to ensure Maisy gets the support required is the couple's application through the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS).

The ORS provides support for students with the highest level of need for special education to join in and learn alongside other students at school.